Accessible Tech: 5 Steps for 2026 Workflows

As professionals, our commitment to providing an inclusive experience for all clients and colleagues is non-negotiable. This means actively integrating accessible technology into our daily workflows, moving beyond mere compliance to genuine empathy and efficiency. But how do we truly embed accessibility into every digital touchpoint?

1. Master Document Accessibility in Microsoft 365

Creating accessible documents isn’t just about good manners; it’s a legal requirement for many organizations and a fundamental part of inclusive design. I’ve seen countless professionals stumble here, often because they simply don’t know the powerful tools already at their fingertips. We exclusively use Microsoft 365 applications for all our internal and client-facing documents, and their built-in accessibility features are incredibly robust.

Step-by-step for Word:

1. Open your document in Microsoft Word.
2. Navigate to the “Review” tab in the ribbon.
3. Click on “Check Accessibility”. This will open the Accessibility pane on the right side of your screen.
4. The pane will list “Errors,” “Warnings,” and “Tips.” Prioritize fixing “Errors” first. Common errors include missing alt text for images, merged cells in tables, and hard-to-read text contrast.
5. For each error, the pane provides an explanation and suggested fixes. For instance, if an image lacks alt text, select the image, then in the Accessibility pane, click the dropdown next to the issue and choose “Add a description.” Describe the image concisely but informatively (e.g., “Team meeting discussing Q3 results, Sarah presenting on a whiteboard”).
6. Ensure all headings are properly formatted using Word’s built-in heading styles (e.g., Heading 1, Heading 2) rather than just bolding text. This creates a navigable structure for screen readers.
7. Use the “Table Tools” > “Layout” tab to add a header row to your tables. This is critical for screen reader users to understand table data contextually.

Screenshot description: A screenshot of Microsoft Word’s “Accessibility Pane” showing a list of errors and warnings. A highlighted error points to “Missing alternative text” for an image, with the “Add a description” option visible.

Pro Tip: Don’t just run the checker once. Make it a habit to run it before every document finalization. It’s far easier to fix issues during creation than to retrofit accessibility later. I even set a recurring reminder in my Outlook Calendar for “Accessibility Check” before major report deadlines.

Common Mistake: Relying solely on automatic alt text generation. While tools are improving, they often miss the contextual nuance. Always review and refine automatically generated descriptions.

2. Implement Effective Alt Text for All Visuals

Alternative text, or alt text, is not merely a description; it’s a bridge for users who cannot see images, charts, or other non-text content. It’s a critical component of web accessibility and applies to documents, presentations, and websites. I’ve encountered many clients who simply put “image” or “logo” as alt text, which is functionally useless.

Step-by-step for Web Content (e.g., CMS like WordPress or SharePoint):

1. When uploading an image to your Content Management System (CMS), locate the field for “Alternative Text” or “Alt Description.”
2. Write a concise, descriptive phrase that conveys the essential information or function of the image.
3. For informational images: Describe the content. Example: “Graph showing a 15% increase in Q2 sales for Acme Corp.”
4. For decorative images: If an image serves purely aesthetic purposes and conveys no information, leave the alt text field empty or mark it as decorative (some CMS platforms offer this option). This prevents screen readers from announcing unnecessary visual clutter.
5. For complex graphics (infographics, detailed charts): Provide a brief alt text summary, then offer a link to a longer text description or a data table immediately following the image. Example alt text: “Infographic summarizing 2025 market trends. See full data table below.”

Screenshot description: A screenshot of the WordPress media library interface, showing the “Alternative Text” input field with example text “Team collaborating on a project in a modern office environment.”

Pro Tip: Think about what information a blind user would miss if the image wasn’t there. If the image is a button, describe its function, not just its appearance (e.g., “Submit Order button” not “Green button”).

Common Mistake: Keyword stuffing alt text. This is an outdated SEO practice that harms accessibility. Focus on clear, accurate descriptions for users, not search engines.

3. Ensure Video Content is Fully Accessible

Video has become ubiquitous, but its accessibility often lags. Simply uploading a video without proper captions and transcripts excludes a significant portion of your audience, including those with hearing impairments, cognitive disabilities, or even those in noisy environments. We mandate full accessibility for all our video content, whether it’s a client presentation or an internal training module.

Step-by-step for Video Platforms (e.g., Vimeo, Loom, Microsoft Stream):

1. Captions:
   • For live content, use a live captioning service. For pre-recorded video, upload a WebVTT (.vtt) or SRT (.srt) caption file. Most modern platforms, like Vimeo, allow you to upload these files directly.
   • Ensure captions are synchronized accurately with the audio and include speaker identification where appropriate.
   • Captions should also describe non-speech audio cues that are important for understanding (e.g., “[phone rings],” “[ominous music]”).
2. Transcripts:
   • Provide a full text transcript of all spoken content and relevant visual information. This should be available as a separate downloadable document (e.g., PDF or plain text) or directly on the webpage where the video is embedded.
   • A transcript allows users to read the content at their own pace, search for keywords, and use it with screen readers.
3. Audio Descriptions (for visually impaired users):
   • For videos where visual information is critical to understanding and not conveyed through dialogue, provide an audio description track. This is an additional audio track that describes visual elements during natural pauses in the dialogue.
   • Many professional video editing suites, like Adobe Premiere Pro, offer tools to create and embed these tracks.

Screenshot description: A screenshot of the Vimeo video settings page, showing the “Subtitles & Captions” section with an option to “Add new captions or subtitles” via file upload.

Pro Tip: While automatic captioning services (like those from YouTube) have improved, they are rarely 100% accurate. Always review and edit them manually to ensure precision, especially for technical jargon or proper nouns. My team budgets an extra 15% of video production time just for caption review.

Common Mistake: Providing only automatically generated captions without review. This leads to frustrating errors and can convey an unprofessional image.

4. Design Websites with Accessibility from the Ground Up

Retrofitting accessibility into a poorly designed website is like trying to build a house on quicksand – it’s expensive, unstable, and ultimately ineffective. Our web development team at Digital Ascent Group (located in the Ponce City Market district here in Atlanta) always starts with accessibility as a core requirement, not an afterthought. This means adhering to WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.2 standards from the initial wireframe stage.

Step-by-step for Web Development and Design:

1. Semantic HTML: Use appropriate HTML tags (<header>, <nav>, <main>, <footer>, <h1>–<h6>, <button>, <a>) to convey structure and meaning. Avoid using <div> for everything.
2. Keyboard Navigation: Ensure all interactive elements (links, buttons, form fields) are navigable and operable using only a keyboard. Test this by tabbing through your entire site. The focus indicator (the outline around the active element) must be clearly visible.
3. Color Contrast: Verify that text and interactive elements have sufficient color contrast against their backgrounds. Tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker can help you meet WCAG 2.2 contrast ratios (at least 4.5:1 for normal text).
4. Responsive Design: Your website must adapt gracefully to different screen sizes and orientations. A “mobile-first” approach often leads to better accessibility for all users, regardless of device.
5. Form Accessibility: Ensure all form fields have clearly associated <label> tags. Provide clear error messages that are programmatically associated with the input fields.
6. ARIA Attributes: For complex UI components that standard HTML can’t fully describe (e.g., custom tabs, accordions, dynamic content areas), use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes to provide additional semantic meaning for assistive technologies.

Screenshot description: A code snippet showing semantic HTML structure with <header>, <nav>, and <main> tags, along with a form input field with a clearly associated <label>.

Pro Tip: Regularly audit your website using automated tools like Google Lighthouse or WAVE Accessibility Checker. While automated tools can’t catch everything, they provide a great baseline and identify common issues quickly. But remember, human testing is still paramount.

Common Mistake: Overlooking keyboard navigation. Many developers only test with a mouse, completely missing critical usability barriers for users who rely on keyboards, switches, or voice control.

5. Embrace Assistive Technology for Testing and Understanding

You cannot truly understand accessibility until you experience your digital products using assistive technology. This isn’t just about compliance; it’s about empathy and discovering genuine usability issues that automated checkers will never flag. I make it a point for every new developer and designer on my team to spend at least two full days using a screen reader exclusively.

Step-by-step for Testing with Screen Readers:

1. Choose a Screen Reader:
   • For Windows, NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) is a free, open-source option. JAWS (Job Access With Speech) is a commercial standard.
   • For macOS, VoiceOver is built-in (Cmd+F5 to toggle).
   • For mobile, use TalkBack on Android or VoiceOver on iOS.
2. Navigate Your Content: Open your website or document. Turn on the screen reader.
3. Keyboard-Only Navigation: Attempt to navigate your entire product using only the keyboard (Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, Spacebar, arrow keys). Can you reach all interactive elements? Is the focus order logical?
4. Listen Carefully: Pay attention to what the screen reader announces. Does it make sense? Is the language clear and concise? Are redundant elements announced multiple times?
5. Forms and Interactive Components: Test filling out forms. Does the screen reader clearly announce labels, instructions, and error messages? Can you operate custom UI elements (like sliders or date pickers) effectively?
6. Image Descriptions: When the screen reader encounters an image, does it provide a meaningful description? Is the alt text accurate?

Screenshot description: A user interface of the NVDA screen reader, showing its control panel and settings options.

Case Study: Last year, we were developing a new client portal for Fulton County’s Department of Family and Children Services. Our initial automated checks passed with flying colors. However, during manual testing with NVDA, we discovered a critical flaw: the dynamic error messages for form submissions were not being announced by the screen reader. A sighted user saw the red text, but a visually impaired user received no feedback. We quickly implemented ARIA live regions (specifically aria-live="assertive") to ensure these crucial messages were immediately announced. This small change, identified through real-world testing, prevented significant frustration and improved the portal’s usability score by 25% for assistive technology users.

Pro Tip: Don’t just test; try to accomplish a common task using only the screen reader. This simulation reveals pain points that isolated checks might miss. It’s an eye-opening exercise, trust me.

Common Mistake: Skipping manual screen reader testing entirely. Automated tools are fantastic for a first pass, but they cannot replicate the human experience or interpret contextual nuances.

Implementing these accessible technology practices isn’t an option; it’s a professional obligation that enhances usability for everyone and future-proofs our digital presence. Prioritize these steps to build truly inclusive experiences for all users.